


Victory in Europe

by Evayna



Category: Agent Carter (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-18 20:23:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1441657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evayna/pseuds/Evayna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Carter Century event by fuckyeahagentcarter, based on the prompt 'Peggy celebrates V-E Day'.</p><p>Peggy Carter's version of celebrating may involve searching for a Hydra spy, a chase across the Thames, and plenty of explosions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Victory in Europe

Big band music and happy voices were bouncing off the buildings and out onto the River Thames, where her barge was floating. She swirled her champagne and watched the lights of bonfires reflected in the bubbles. Someone set off fireworks, followed by a rush of "aahs" and applause. She flinched. There was nowhere to duck for cover; there was no need. The war was over. Germany had surrendered, and London was alight; this time on its own terms.  
  
She smiled and turned to look for her friend the bootlegger. Norma was a swirl of blue and yellow dancing with a tall red-headed man, clearly competing for the lead. Peggy had first met Norma when she'd needed a new stick of lipstick; that relationship evolved to informant, messenger, and friend. It was by her invitation that Peggy was on this party barge. And it was by her information that Peggy first learned that one of the men smuggling liquor and perfumes for her was a member of Hydra. She just wasn't sure which. That was the trouble with Hydra. The war may be over, but they weren't centralized enough to surrender; cut off one head, etc. etc.  
  
The first step was to narrow down the suspects. The barge held just under a dozen men and women, some dancing, some just sipping on drinks and pouring attention over each other. Peggy may have been dressed for a waltz, but she was absolutely working. Finding a spy would be a challenge for the average layman, but as a top notch agent herself, she knew what to look for. Someone who's just pretending they belong. _Someone like me_.  
  
She considered the black haired man with a saucy tattoo on his wrist who'd been nursing his drink. But no, he just wanted his lady friend to be more inebriated then himself. The man was nearly panting over his giggling date. Alright, what about the squat man with the bristle-brush moustache? He had a suspicious squint to his eyes and kept rummaging around in his pocket. She was just preparing to step towards him when he pulled out a torn handkerchief and sneezed loudly. Ah, just late spring allergies. She reminded herself it wasn't a failed guess, but rather a necessary deduction. Her eyes roved over the dancers. The tall red-headed man who was dancing with Norma was busy spinning his partner, but he glimpsed up and caught Peggy staring. Smooth as silk Peggy peered on at the next couple, but she could feel him watching her. She set down her drink, and when enough time had passed for her to look again, their eyes met. His were dark over a stark white smile. He dipped Norma and set her back on her feet.  
  
"It was a pleasure, as always," he said, kissing her hand.  
  
"No need to flatter me, Harry," said Norma. She had a blunt, almost bark-like voice perfect for joking around. Peggy had never seen someone keep their eyebrows raised for so long. One time she'd asked if Norma drew them on that high, and Norma had answered that the world did it for her.  
  
"What about you, ma'am?" The bastard had snuck up on her. She wished she'd worn higher heels now, only coming up to his collar bone. He loomed with heavy charm. "Do you dance?"  
  
"No," she answered, near automatically.  
  
"Not even on this day of celebration? It's not every day we win a war."  
  
"Were we the two who did it? I've been hearing so much!" Unlike Norma she drew her eyebrows together when she joked, and he did not take it well.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It's just I don't see you in uniform, and I only dance with captains."  
  
He grabbed her arm and scowled at her. "I thought you said you don't dance."  
  
She looked up fiercely. "Try me."  
  
He smirked and went into a fighter's stance. She barely had time to register what he was planning before he started a grapple. A sway of water under the barge gave her an advantage; she planted her feet, and set him off balance. She focused and remembered her training, arms up, torso twisted for improved resistance. She swung at him and put her hip into it, but he blocked and her hand clashed with the stiff edge of his forearm. She went again with her left, but he seemed to see everything coming. _Why would a civilian be trained in countering the Fairbairn system?_ She knew right then she'd found her man. Alright, time for something else. She scanned her surroundings. Mostly flat, a few barrels and crates, some netting and a couple oars. Well. An oar to the head should do it. She dodged under his swinging fist ( _maybe shorter heels were an advantage_ , she preened) and took up an oar. It was lighter than she wanted for bludgeoning's sake, but it worked perfectly for bartitsu. She jabbed him in the gonads before slamming the oar up under his chin. He stumbled backwards in a daze.

"What's wrong, 'Harry'? They don't teach you to dance like that at Hydra?"

His eyes burned at her and his nostrils flared. It looked like he was revving to run at her, and she prepared to whack him again, but suddenly he took off in the other direction. "Damn!" she spat. He lept from the barge and onto a passing boat. The Thames was busy enough that he could disappear in an instant. There was only one thing for it. Peggy dropped the oar and bolted after him, throwing herself into the air and onto a fat little tugboat. A flash of red hair passed to her right, and she spied a fishing boat with a tall crane. She lept for the hanging wire and swung herself towards a quick moving ferry. Heart racing, she pushed through the crowd, looking for her quarry. He was just a few paces ahead of her and they were almost to the wharf. Bouncing from boat to boat they both slammed onto the concrete shore. Peggy regained her footing first, cornering him prone against a wall.

A trickle of blood was leaking from his mouth from a chipped tooth, and his clothes were rumpled. His eyes were stormy as he peered up at his pursuer. "Peggy Carter," he said, spitting red at her feet. "You're not supposed to be on duty. You're on leave."

"How do you know that?"

He twisted his face. "It's obvious. How are you supposed to work while you're grieving?"

He had just made a huge mistake. But as she stepped towards him with a clenched fist, he pulled open his waistcoat to reveal explosives strapped to his chest. Her eyes widened.

"Awful crowded around here, isn't it?" He smiled wetly.

The promenade of boats was already enough, but here on solid ground they were next to buildings full of people, streets overflowing with revelers. She could hear women and men singing together. The smoke of bonfires and scent of barbecue grease could nearly overcome the smell of the river. There were children laughing and clapping their little hands. So many people. So many lives just starting to be free from threat.

"You have no weapons, no back-up, no stars and no stripes. I'm going to leave here and do whatever I please, because you can't do anything to stop me." He started to get to his feet. Peggy offered him a hand up, and he took it, smiling and staring into her eyes. "Glad to see you know when you've been bettered."

"Not quite, I'm afraid," she said, suddenly pulling him off balance and slamming his head against the wall with her other hand. He was instantly knocked unconscious, a crumpled heap on the ground. His chest emitted a beep. Peggy raised one eyebrow. It emitted another, and then again. The beeping was speeding up. "Bastard!"

There was only one thing for it. Casting her glance around hurriedly she saw a metal rowboat. She rushed over to it and tugged it over to the edge of the water. The beeping was brutally insistent. Yanking 'Harry' was a struggle; why was the bastard so heavy? _If you can't use your arms_ , she remembered, _use your legs_. She kicked his limp body into the water with a splash, then swiftly tipped the boat overturned on top of him. Running behind a crate she covered her ears. _Oh please, oh please._ Harry exploded magnificently and it rocked her off her feet, but other than a boom and a wet wash of water, the threat had been neutralized. She started laughing. "I can't believe that worked."

She stood up and surveyed the damage. On one of the balconies a little boy said "What was that sound, mum?" "Just a firework," came the answer. Peggy laughed again. There wasn't enough of a chance to get information out of the Hydra spy, but she'd eliminated him unarmed in an evening dress. Not bad for a night's work. She inspected the metal boat, now twisted and splintered. It was no vibranium shield. But then, nothing would be. Her smile was sad, her eyes watering.

"Ahoy, Peggy!" It was Norma's barking voice. The party barge had caught up, and was drawing closer to the shore. "Get back here, there's still so much to show you!"

Peggy looked up at her friend and lept back onto the barge, catching her balance. Norma came over and pulled her into a hug. "Is it all over?" she asked, eyebrows high over caring eyes.

"No," said Peggy. "I don't think it ever will be."

"Sounds like a good reason to drink!" her friend answered, putting the champagne back in her hand. A blue flare shone overhead and sparkled in the bubbles. "And then we'll have a dance."

 


End file.
